11.30.2012

JINsoon Nail Lacquer is a new line of polishes from celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi. Currently available at Sephora, the fledging brand includes 12 shades that all look great for fall and winter fashion.

Unfortunately, after trying JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque ($18), I'm in no hurry to try more polishes from this new brand. This lacquer isn't horrible but I don't think the quality merits the high price.

JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque is described as a "black red" so I was expecting something along the lines of a deep burgundy or oxblood shade. In reality, JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque is more of a blackened eggplant.

One coat of JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque allows the purple tones to shine through but does not provide full coverage. I definitely needed a second coat. Sadly, two coats of JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque basically look black. Black nail polish is fine and all, but I was expecting a more unique color. It's not even that glossy either!

JINsoon touts the short dry time of its lacquers. I found the dry time to be average to slow (and ended up with smudgy nails!). Try Butter London or Julep for a much faster dry time.

On the bright side, the wear time of JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque was good. I got about 4-5 days before it started chipping badly. Then I had to remove it immediately because nothing looks worse than super dark, chipped nail polish!

Overall, I was disappointed by JINsoon Nail Lacquer in Risque. I expected something more impressive for the price. I think I will stick to Butter London or Julep for my nail polish splurges for the time being.

Now that I have my hands on the Eyeko Skinny Mini Mascara and Eyeliner Duo ($16), I can't say that I'm blown away. Both products are serviceable but they aren't major wins for me. But then again, it seems that everyone has such different eye makeup needs and preferences!

Eyeko Lengthening Skinny Mini Brush Mascara in Black

Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara's wand has a very unique shape. I must say that these bristles do a great job of grabbing each and every lash. This mascara creates some length, but it's not that dramatic. The black is nice and dark though, with a nice dash of gloss. I find that Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara leaves my lashes pretty clumpy, which is the ultimate no-no.

Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner

I had better luck with Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner in Black. The liner has a marker style tip that's precise and easy to use. My main quibble is that the color isn't as jet black as I would like, and it lacks the nice sheen finish that some other liquid eyeliners have. The marker tip also feels like it could dry out fairly quickly, but I don't know that for sure.

Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner Swatch

As you can see, Eyeko Skinny Mini Mascara adds some length but very little volume. The result is kinda spindly and clumpy. I'm also wearing the Eyeko Skinny Mini Liquid Eyeliner, which looks fine but not incredible. I wish the mascara was less clumpy and the eyeliner was more intense!

Eyeko Skinny Mini Mascara and Eyeliner Duo

On the plus side, both the Eyeko Skinny Mini Mascara and Eyeliner are extremely long-lasting. Neither flakes on me, and I only ended up with a small smudge under my right eye after 8 hours of wear. Makeup remover is a must when it comes time to take these products off.

Overall, I'm not amazed with either Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara or Skinny Liquid Eyeliner. I'm a little disappointed that they didn't live up to the hype for me, but I guess I can be happy that I sated my curiosity about this cult fav mascara!

Have you tried Eyeko products? Do you think their mascara is a must-have or a product to skip?